The processing of bulk material typically involves transfer of the material between processing units and to transport vehicles or stock pile locations. Guide chutes represent a convenient conduit adapted for directing generally vertically falling material to a desired destination. Material chutes also find application within construction sites, especially for tall buildings to convey debris material from an elevated level to the ground safely.
Generally, chutes are formed from a series of conical funnel sections each having a smaller diameter outlet and a larger diameter inlet to allow the sections to overlap one another and provide a telescopic assembly in use that may be collapsed axially for storage and transport when not in use. Example material guide chutes are described in CN 203173259; KR 2010-0054269; US 2006/0064863; DE 202004003558; DE 29621179; CN 1097396; EP 329001; U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,219; EP 304020; DE 8618197; U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,913; and DE 3143922.
Conventional funnel arrangements as found in the prior art are disadvantageous for a number of reasons. In particular, each funnel section typically requires a degree of stiffness (or rigidity). This structural rigidity is required due to the conventional mechanism for mounting the funnel sections together axially to form the chute. Accordingly, the sections are typically formed from a rigid material or include stiffening reinforcements that appreciably limit adjustability, increase the likelihood of the chute becoming blocked by the material, are subject to accelerated wear and increase manufacturing complexity. Accordingly, what is required is funnel part for a material guide chute to direct a flow of material that addresses the above problems. What is also desirable is a funnel construction which can be manufactured as economically as possible.